Walt statue

History of Walt Disney

  • Born

    Born
    Walter Elias Disney was born to Elias and Flora Disney in Hermosa, Illinois.
  • Moves to Kansas City

    Disney moved to Kansas City with his parents. This is where he grew to love trains. That summer he worked at a railroad where his uncle was a train engineer and he sold newspapers and snacks to travelers.
  • Laugh-O-Grams

    Laugh-O-Grams
    Walt got a job from his brother Roy at Pesmen Rubin Art Studio. From there he worked at the Kansas City film company making commercials with animation. Because he liked it so much, he decided to open his own company and hired Fred Herman. The cartoons they produced were called Laugh-O-Grams. Because of the popularity, Disney accquired the name Laugh-O-Gram for his studio.
  • Bankrupt

    Walt filed for bankruptsy and then moved to Hollywood, California with his brother Roy.
  • Disney Bros Studio

    Disney Bros Studio
    The Disney brothers created their own studio with what little money they had. They hired a few employees and created a couple of short films including Oswald and the Alice comedies.
  • Married

    Married
    Walt married one of his employees name Lilian Bounds.
  • Walt Disney Studios

    Walt Disney Studios
    Walt decided to rename the Disney Bros Studio to Walt Disney Studios.
  • Mickey Mouse

    Mickey Mouse
    Steamboat Willie is the first animated cartoon with sound in theaters and does phenomenal. This was essentially the birth of Mickey Mouse.
  • Academy Award

    Academy Award
    Walt recieved his first Academy Award for the creation of Mickey Mouse.
  • First Child

    First Child
    Walt and Lillian have their first child named Diane Marie Disney.
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

    Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
    Walt Disney's first full length movie is released to the public in Los Angeles and New York. Snow White grossed about $8 million and even won an Academy Award.
  • Period: to

    Golden Age of Animation

    Walt Disney made and released a number of films including Pinnochio, Dumbo, Fantasia, and Bambi. His best work since Snow White debuted also was released including Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland.
  • Disneyland

    Disneyland
    Walts plans for an amusement park are finally finished. Disneyland Park opens to the public in Anahiem, California.
  • Mary Poppins

    Mary Poppins
    Walt release Mary Poppins at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. This may be his most successful film with 13 Academy Award nominations.
  • EPCOT

    EPCOT
    Walt reveals his plans to build another theme park in Florida. This one is called Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, or EPCOT for short.
  • Death

    Walt Disney dies at the age of 65 from an acute circulatory collapse.
  • Walt Disney World

    Walt Disney World
    Roy Disney annouces that the park to be opened in Florida will officially be named Walt Disney World in honor of his brother.